Oh my! Last night was our small group meeting - its always such an interesting lesson. We get started on a topic in the Bible - start looking up scripture to back up our thoughts & then we are OFF on a role - one thing leads to another & we get in some awesome talks! Some deep - some funny - some serious - others just thought provoking!
We ended up getting on the discussion of "cursing" & the Christian. I found Colossians 3:2-10:
7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Then it lead us to the topic of what exactly is Filthy Language? Who made a word Filthy? Today there are many more words that are considered "filthy" than there were, say 25 years ago. We have some people in our group that are in their 60's or older - & they agreed about today's language being quite different. And is "Filthy" the same today as it was in Biblical times?
Then it lead us to the idea - what if you say, "Gosh" or "Darn it" - or "Shoot"....are you really just meaning the "filthy word" - is it just as bad? Then we debated the idea that people say these things out of a HABIT more than a need to curse or use it in a bad way. I have a habit of saying "Freaking" - & I honestly do NOT mean the other word people associate it with. That never even crossed my mind - since I've heard it a lot lately though - I'm trying to break that habit - but habits are definitely hard to break! But that's the point....I'm not meaning anything by it - so is it wrong? And if it is wrong - should people just say the REAL word?
Then you see people that curse - & they truly are good people - people that love God - is it really wrong they curse? As you can imagine - we had some lively discussions. There was one point where we all had tears coming down our faces from laughing - but we were also digging into the Word! That's whats so great about our group! You never know what's going to come up for the topic!
On a personal note - I'm so glad its Friday! It's been the worst freaking week for me (wink!)
Rebecca, WOW, it is odd that you mentioned how your small group started talking about the use of words that are thought to be substitutes for "filthy" ones. We just had the same discussion at my workplace. Well...I was pretty sure that these words were substitutes, and came home and did a little research for myself--unfortunately, it does seem that the word "freakin/freaking" or even "screwed up" are really what is called a "euphemism" or nothing more than a "more acceptable form of the taboo word. The New York Times even did several stories on these words,along with other groups. Look up (google the term) SNAFU (really, it is an acronym/euphemism.Ask any old WWII vet or others from that era, since it originated in 1941 by the military guys. It is an acronym for "Situation Normal-All ****** UP" and the missing word was/still is changed to "fouled" up in polite company, instead of the big bad F-word that it really means! Same with today's "freakn" in place of, well, uh..., you get the message!! Likewise, the words "freakin/screwed up" were banned at Logan's Christian school (before he went to FC) and I better not hear him say them, either. It's just too easy to let down your guard and say the real thing!! I know you, and others might not realize this when you use these words! I have even cringed after hearing "I screwed up" used when people pray aloud.OUCH!!! Lesson over-Love you and enjoy your great writing skills!!! Lois Eberle
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